Issue 2 — Where Digital Water Really Begins: Upgrading Pumping Stations

After recognising why blind spots became normal, many water utilities arrive at a practical realisation:

Before centralised operations or analytics can work, the data coming from the field must first be reliable.

For most water networks, that reality leads directly to the pumping station.

The Reality on the Ground

Across many water utilities, pumping stations were built at different times, under different projects, and with different design constraints.

Some stations are relatively new.
Others have been operating reliably for decades.
Many were never designed with centralised operations in mind.

As a result, utilities often find that:

• Remote data is available, but not always trustworthy
• Alarms arrive late or intermittently
• Communication links are unstable
• Operators still rely on site visits to confirm conditions
• Expansion or integration feels difficult and risky

This does not mean the stations are poorly designed.
It means they were designed for a different operational era.

Why Visibility Breaks Down at the Pumping Station Level

In practice, limited visibility usually traces back to two foundational issues:

1. Data acquisition at the station
2. Communication between the station and the control room

If either of these is weak, everything above it becomes unreliable.

Operators may see values on screen, but hesitate to act on them.
Supervisors may receive alarms, but lack confidence in their accuracy.
Maintenance teams may know something is wrong, but not know why.

This creates a familiar pattern:

• Alarms are acknowledged
• Conditions are monitored cautiously
• On-site checks become the default confirmation method

The system technically works — but trust is fragile.

Why Software Alone Cannot Fix This

When utilities talk about digital transformation, the conversation often starts with dashboards, analytics, or centralised views.

But without stable field foundations, these layers struggle to deliver value.

No matter how advanced the software:

• It cannot correct missing signals
• It cannot stabilise weak communications
• It cannot compensate for ageing field devices

This is why many transformation initiatives stall — not because the vision is wrong, but because the starting point is too high.

Modernising the Foundation, Not Replacing the Station

In reality, most pumping stations do not need to be rebuilt.

What they need is modernisation at the right layer.

This often begins with:

• Upgrading or standardising RTUs to improve data acquisition
• Improving industrial connectivity to ensure stable, secure communication
• Preserving existing sensors and electrical infrastructure where possible
• Minimising downtime and operational disruption

When done correctly, these upgrades:

• Improve data reliability immediately
• Restore operator confidence in remote monitoring
• Reduce unnecessary site visits
• Create a stable foundation for future integration

Importantly, this approach respects the investment utilities have already made.

A Practical, Incremental Path Forward

Rather than treating pumping station upgrades as large, disruptive projects, many utilities take an incremental approach:

• Start with stations that experience frequent issues
• Address communication reliability first
• Standardise data acquisition gradually
• Validate improvements through daily operations

Each step delivers value on its own — without forcing a full system overhaul.

This staged approach allows utilities to:

• Control capital expenditure
• Reduce operational risk
• Build confidence internally
• Prepare for broader operational improvements later

Why This Step Matters More Than It Seems

Upgrading pumping stations is often viewed as a technical task.

In reality, it is an operational enabler.

When field data becomes reliable:

• Operators act faster and with more confidence
• Supervisors spend less time verifying conditions
• Maintenance teams gain clearer insight into asset behaviour
• Centralised operations become feasible — not theoretical

This is where digital water transformation truly begins — not in the control room, but at the edge of the network.

Setting the Stage for What Comes Next

Once pumping stations are stabilised and data can be trusted, utilities are finally in a position to ask a different question:

How do we see the entire system clearly, in one place, and respond more effectively?

That question leads naturally to centralised operations.

In the next issue, we explore how utilities move from fragmented monitoring to a unified operational view — without disrupting how plants and pumping stations are safely run today.

Coming Next: Issue 3 — From Fragmented Monitoring to Centralised Operations